The Royal Spring Hotel standing humbly on the busy Osogbo-Ikirun Highway in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, had played host to different classes of events which naturally drew traffic of guests to the facility founded incidentally by the newly installed 14th Onijabe of Ijabe, Osun State, Oba Tajudeen Omotosho Abioye.
Arguably, none of those functions witnessed at the exquisite hotel had brought together inside its hall about 400 traditional rulers who travelled from all Yoruba-speaking states, including Kwara and Kogi States. That was the experience on October 28, 2026, the historic day when the energetic Eburu of Iba, Oba Adekunle Adeogun Okunoye effectively coordinated his fellow royal fathers under the aegis of the Small Towns and Rural Kings Programme.
Individually, in twos, in threes and more, the royal fathers, majority of whom were resplendent in their crowns which sat elegantly on their flowing agbada completed with their ornamented walking sticks; they entered the premises and walked straight into the waiting arm of the Eburu who warmly ushered them in with smiles of assurance that they were at the right place at the right time.
In no time, the attendance list was full of names and titles, despite the fact that few monarchs defaulted due to a long queue which underscored their voluntariness to be at the event.
They converged under the umbrella of the Yorubaland Council of Traditional Leaders of Small Towns, Inner Cities and Rural Areas. The body collaborated with Centre for Rural Affairs and Community Development to launch what is called Small Towns and Rural Kings for Continuity, Renewed Hope, National Unity and Stability Program.
Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke was represented by the Chairman of the state Teaching Service Commission, Comrade Temitope Adeyemi who expressed his joy at the event and encouraged royal fathers to use their proximity to the grassroots to help drive government policies achieving their goals.
“As we approach the coming general elections in 2027, I encouraged CERACODE and its partner to ensure that PEVACIYO remains focused on credible voters education, peaceful participation and respect for the electoral process. The campaign should reach our communities in language and formats that people understand while providing accurate information that empowers citizens to make independent and informed decisions,” he said.
All royal fathers present were enthusiastic; they expressed readiness to play more active role in the pre-elections voters awareness campaign with a view to recording more number of electorate at the poll as against what obtained in previous exercises where minority elected representatives in government.
Chairman of the launch, who is former Commissioner, Public Complaints Commission in charge of Osun State, Professor Rasaq Abubakre pointed out two reasons for the assembly namely:
“To launch the Rural Kings Program and to flag off the Pre-Election Voter’s Awareness Campaign in Yorubaland and the diaspora.”
He said the two purposes are like a set of twins inside a womb, saying small towns and community are indispensable to numerical success recorded at every election reminding government and electoral body that charity must begin at home.
“In a nutshell, the renewed hope agenda which task is to maximise votes for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) should treat this sector as a focal point. From this point, the President should direct his beam light to focus more than hitherto on Yorubaland Council of Traditional Leaders of Small Towns, Inner Cities and Rural Areas which is being inaugurated today. This will prevent a repeat by the local governments of what the state governments do which concentrates on big towns and cities to the neglect of this significant structure,” he noted.
Welcoming guests and his fellow monarchs to the event, the Eburu of Iba, Oba Adekunle Adeogun Okunoye explained that the Small Towns and Rural Kings for Continuity, Renewed Hope, National Unity and Stability Program and commence the Pre-Election Voters Awareness Campaign in Yorubaland, known as the PEVACIYO Project, are tied to his soul because of the bigger picture of their success.
Oba Okunoye highlighted pillars which connect the initiatives and speak directly to the future of grassroots people, affirming that traditional rulers of small towns and communities are custodians of culture, values and community identity.
“We are close to our people and understand their concerns, aspirations and everyday challenges. By engaging traditional institutions in development initiatives, we can help ensure that information, opportunities and empowerment reach the grassroots, not only the major urban centers. This program is therefore a call to recognise rural communities as essential partners in national progress.
“When small towns and rural communities are supported, the benefits extend beyond their boundaries and contribute to the strength and stability of the nation as a whole,” he said, adding “no community should be left behind in the pursuit of national development.”
The Eburu commended former Osun State Commissioner of Information, Oluomo Sunday Akere and the Renewed Hope Ambassadors for taking the message of the Renewed Hope Agenda to communities across the country. He urged his fellows to push further the hope in practical improvements in their lives. “It must be seen in better infrastructure, access to healthcare, opportunities for young people, support for farmers and pathways to economic empowerment.”
The monarch also said, “Development should reach the inner cities and rural settlements as well as the larger urban centers. Our collective responsibility is to keep the needs of underserved communities in view and to build constructive partnerships between traditional institutions, public authorities, civil society and the people. Such cooperation can help ensure that the dividends of democracy are more widely shared.”
Akere also commended the royal fathers for their right discretion towards ensuring a better democracy in the country.
The programme was rounded off with a live performance by a fuji musician, who incidentally is a traditional chief, Asaba of the Eburu’s town, Chief Waheed Azeez Fuji Sensema. He thrilled the audience during which a female chanter Ojediwura Adelere also did her panegyrics to the amazement of the audience.
Oba Okunoye concluded that the journey of a thousand miles starts with a step, beating his chest that Nigerian traditional rulers would no longer sit on the fence on the patriotic obligation to ensure true representatives are elected to public offices.
He stated the role of traditional institutions as trusted points of contact in their respective communities, declaring that working with electoral authorities, civil society organisations, community groups and other stakeholders, would make civic education more accessible and strengthen public understanding of democratic responsibilities and an opportunity to bring governance closer to the grassroots and to ensure that rural voices are not overlooked.
He further stated, “Building a stronger nation is a shared responsibility. Government institutions, traditional rulers, civil society, community leaders, women, young people and individual citizens all have a role to play. We must work together to make development more inclusive, strengthen national cohesion and promote peaceful, credible democratic participation. Let us use our positions to encourage service, accountability, mutual respect and unity. Let us support agriculture and rural enterprise, amplify the needs of underserved communities and ensure that voter education is continuous, impartial and accessible. Above all, let us protect the freedom of every citizen to make an independent choice at the ballot box.
“The future of our communities depends on the strength of our partnerships and the seriousness with which we fulfil our responsibilities. Let us leave this gathering committed to building bridges between traditional institutions, public leadership and the electorate. Let us ensure that rural communities are heard, that women and young people are included, and that our democracy is strengthened through informed and peaceful participation.”
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